Lancaster confident England ready for tough test

HEAD coach Stuart Lancaster has warned England they will face a much stronger Australia team than the one humbled by the British and Irish Lions in the summer.
England coach Stuart LancasterEngland coach Stuart Lancaster
England coach Stuart Lancaster

England welcome the Wallabies to Twickenham tomorrow at the start of what Lancaster calls a “defining year” in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup on these shores.

The evolution of Lancaster’s team faces a supreme test over the coming 15 days with Argentina and world champions New Zealand also due in south west London.

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To hit the ground running, Lancaster yesterday named the 23 men he has entrusted to get his first win over an Australian side who lost 2-1 to Warren Gatland’s Lions in the summer.

But any misconceptions people have of the Wallabies being weakened and ripe for the taking were instantly swept aside by Lancaster yesterday.

Tomorrow’s visitors have a new coach, a new captain and a rekindled belief after finishing the Rugby Championship with a flourish and frightening world champions New Zealand in Hong Kong.

They have also been together as a unit since that summer defeat to the Lions, while Lancaster has only had his full squad to work with since the Monday before last.

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Indeed, tomorrow’s opening Twickenham appointment will be the first time he has had his strongest available XV on the field since their Six Nations grand slam dreams collapsed in Cardiff back in March.

New Australia head coach Ewen McKenzie yesterday relieved James Horwill of the captaincy due to poor form, and promoted No 8 Ben Mowen.

But no matter who leads the men in gold shirts, Lancaster knows his chosen men – headlined by Lee Dickson getting the scrum-half shirt over Lions star Ben Youngs – will have to be at their very best.

“It’s a strong team whichever way you look at it and they’ve been together since the Lions series,” said Lancaster.

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“Their time together as a group will be of massive help. They’ve worked hard and they’ll understand each other well and I think their performances have really improved in the last few weeks.

“They’re a good side and it will be very competitive. They are formidable opponents.”

Lancaster knows nothing short of a winning start to a pivotal series will do.

The former Leeds player and coach has described this as a defining year for his England team as they build towards the 2015 World Cup.

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“We’re two years out from the World Cup and we have got consistency in the coaching team and in terms of selection,” he said.

“We’ve had some good experiences and some not so good, but the good have outweighed the not so good. It’s a matter of building on those now.

“We’ve won seven out of the last eight games, but we’ve not consistently delivered in every game.

“The next step is to consistently deliver in every game at the highest level.

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“Australia have been ranked in the top three for the last three or four years.

“It’s a big game, but one we’re ready for and one we should be expecting to go into with confidence.

“As with Argentina and New Zealand, we’ll go into the game with the expectation of winning.”

Lancaster’s decision to elevate Dickson to the No 9 shirt surprised many observers, even though all the noises since the team reconvened 11 days ago suggested the scrum-half’s club form for Northampton Saints had caught the head coach’s eye.

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“Form has always been the over-riding factor,” said Lancaster of the decision to reinstate a man he started at scrum-half in his opening game in charge 21 months ago.

“Lee has got a lot of credit in the bank with me, this is his 10th cap.

“At the start of the season, in a competitive position, he’s the one that’s really shone for me.

“It was a difficult decision because we have quality scrum-halves in Danny Care and Ben Youngs, but on form, and form alone, Lee edges it.”

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Joel Tomkins makes his debut just two years after switching codes. On the same day as his brother Sam represents England against Ireland in a rugby league World Cup game in Huddersfield, Saracens centre Joel will walk out in front of 80,000 union fans at headquarters.

“Joel has been excellent in training this week and I think his big game temperament will shine through,” said Lancaster of a player who will partner Billy Twelvetrees in midfield, with both first-choice centres Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi injured.

“To be picked for this England team you’ve got to be playing well and selection has reflected that.

“Second row is a case in point. It’s hard to argue against what Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury are doing in the Premiership and therefore they deserve a chance.

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“It’s time for Courtney to come in and show his leadership at the lineout.

“Then we’ve got Dave Attwood who was outstanding in Argentina. But he’s match fit and he’ll add ballast to our side from the bench.”

Lancaster’s starting XV share 213 caps between them, 12 fewer than the eight players on the bench.

England: Brown; Ashton, Tomkins, Twelvetrees, Yarde; Farrell, Dickson; M Vunipola, T Youngs, Cole, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola. Replacements: Hartley, Marler, Wilson, Attwood, Morgan, B Youngs, Flood, Foden.

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Australia: Folau; Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Toomua, Cummins; Cooper, Genia; Slipper, Moore, Alexander, Timani, Horwill, Fardy, Hooper, Mowen (capt). Replacements: Fainga’a, Robinson, Kepu, Douglas, McCalman, White, Leali’ifano, Foley.